2014 // 9th // Dr. Igor Siwanowicz // HHMI Janelia Research Campus // Ashburn, VA, USASpecimen: Green coneheaded planthopper (Acanalonia conica) nymph with its gears. The insects are accomplished jumpers, able to accelerate at staggering 500 times the force of gravity (500xg); to synchronize the movement of their hind legs, their trochanters are coupled with a pair of cogs. Image shows dorsal view of these trochanteral gears. The insect demonstrates that gears, which until recently were thought to be a human invention, exist in the natural worldTechnique: Confocal microscopy, magnification ca. 200xTags:Insect // Confocal